Seoul, South Korea – A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Commission (KCC) has revealed a significant increase in the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies within the South Korean broadcasting industry. The survey, which polled major broadcasters, found that AI is being used in various stages of content production, from planning to distribution.
According to the survey results, approximately 1 out of every 10 broadcast programs produced in 2023 involved AI at the planning and production stages. This translates to an average of 11.1% AI utilization in the planning stage, 9.4% in the production stage, and 6.9% in the service stage.
The survey also revealed that cable news channels and general news channels (38.8%) were the most active in adopting AI technologies at the planning stage, followed by general programming channels (10.8%) and terrestrial broadcasters (9.2%). This higher adoption rate among news channels can be attributed to the extensive use of AI for tasks such as pre-research and scriptwriting.
At the production stage, AI technologies are being employed for a variety of tasks, including automated video shooting and editing, visual effects (VFX), digital humans, and music arrangement. Terrestrial broadcasters (14.4%) led the way in AI adoption at this stage, followed by general programming channels (12.7%), cable news channels (10.5%), and satellite operators (4.4%).
Representative examples of AI-powered programs produced by major broadcasters in 2023 include MBC's "PD is Gone" (using digital humans and AI-powered automatic editing), KBS's "The Secret of Life and Death" (utilizing a virtual studio), JTBC's "Real Live" (employing digital twins), and SBS's "Amazing Women" (using an AI editing assistant).
In terms of service delivery, AI is being used for tasks such as AI-powered subtitle generation, personalized content recommendations based on user analysis, and AI-based monitoring. Terrestrial broadcasters (18.4%) were found to be the most active in using AI at the service stage, followed by satellite operators (6.5%), IPTV providers (3.3%), and general programming channels (1.6%).
Choi Jun-ho, Director-General of the Broadcasting Promotion Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and ICT, stated, "This survey provides valuable insights into the current state of AI adoption in the broadcasting industry. The data will serve as a foundation for future policy development aimed at promoting the integration of AI technologies and the growth of the broadcasting sector. We plan to expand the scope of future surveys and refine our methodology to ensure a more comprehensive and continuous data collection."
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